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FOR RELEASE July 4, 2007 ---HALL OF FAME 2007 INDUCTEES SELECTED -

Trustees of the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame Center of Western Heritage and Cultures: Native American, Ranching and Rodeo have selected seven individuals for induction in August. The seven were selected from more than 60 nominated for consideration.

The seven selected by secret ballot will now have their names, histories and photos permanently displayed at the Hall of Fame's Hall of Honorees in Medora following ceremonies on Saturday, August 4.

NDCHF Executive Director Darrell Dorgan says, "Ballots were sent to the more than 200 Hall of Fame Trustees in May, and the seven new inductees were selected from categories which including: Pre-1940 Ranching; Modern-era Ranching; Pre-1940 Rodeo; Modern-Era Rodeo; Arts and Entertainment and Rodeo Producers."

The new inductees will join the more than 90 others who have been inducted since 1998.

The 2007 inductees are:

Pre-1940 Rodeo

John Quilliam, of Marmarth and Killdeer, was born in Minnesota in 1905 and began a rodeo career when he was 14 years old. Mert Buckley and Alex LaSotta taught him rodeo skills, and he tried out all of the events, from bronc riding to team roping and calf roping. Quilliam married Marvel Chapel in 1929, and their family numbered four children. He took up ranching in the Killdeer area in 1938 and preferred to trail his herd of 400 head of Herefords between Marmath and Killdeer. Quilliam kept about 100 horses on his ranch. In the 1950s and 1960s, he partnered with Gene McCormick, and the pair took first place in numerous in team roping events. Quilliam claimed that his proudest rodeo moment occurred at the Cowboys Reunion in Medora in 1976 when he received a trophy as the oldest contestant, partnering with his grandsons. He died in 1981.

Modern-era Rodeo

Henry Almit Breuer, of Garrison, grew up on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, where he has rodeoed, ranched and farmed his entire life. He started riding exhibition bareback horses and steers at the Sanish Rodeo as a nine year old and joined the NDRA in 1955, specializing in bull riding. Breuer won four NDRA saddle bronc championships and three other NDRA championships while ranching southwest of White Shield. He rode Whiz Bang just one week after Joe Chase did in 1956. He lives in Garrison and continues to team rope. Breuer went off to auctioneer school in Billings in 1961 and is still calling sales.

Harry Olson, of Killdeer, was born in 1940 and lived in Dunn County his whole life unless traveling to RCA, PRCA, CRA and NDRA rodeos where, at various times, he entered each category of competition and qualifed, won and placed at many events. Olson perfected a style of bareback bronc riding that has since become the chosen style of all successful bareback contestants across the country. In 1958, Olson qualified for NHSRA finals in steer wrestling. He was named Bareback and All-around Champion of the Killdeer Rodeo in 1960. He was a founding member of the first high school rodeo club in North Dakota and worked as a contract bullfighter and a flank man for various rodeo companies during the 1960s.

Pre-1940 Ranching

Donald Stevenson, of Emmons and Morton counties and Bismarck, emigrated from Scotland to America with his parents in 1842. After a stint of herding cattle in Texas, he established a ranch in Emmons County, Dakota Territory, in 1872, and managed to hang on through the difficult winter of 1886-1887. He ran a freight business between Bismarck and Camp Meade and was also an Army contractor. Stevenson relocated to Morton County where the Deadwood Stage Road crossed the Cannonball River in 1887 and ranched until 1906. The Stevenson Post Office was established at his ranch. He was elected twice to the state legislature and was active in his local community affairs. He is buried in the Union Cemetery at Mandan.

Modern-era Ranching

Jake Larson, of Almont, was born on the Larson Ranch in Morton County in 1931. The ranch was started by his grandfather in 1881, and Jake took over operation in 1949, starting with Hereford cattle and adding crossbred Hereford/Angus/Charolais cattle in 1952. In 1969, Simmental cattle came to the ranch. He operated with 320 cow/calf pairs, 4,000 acres of grassland and 1,200 acres of farmland. His cattle sold in 13 states and in Canada. Larson conducted his own production sales for many years and was the recipient of many awards. Larson enjoyed amateur rodeo and competed in the NDRA from 1953-1968 and the RCA rodeos from 1953-1957. Larson took first place in calf roping at the Home On The Range Champions Ride in 1957 and was the state champion team roper in 1959. Larson and his wife, Virginia, raised four children, and he was active in local community and school organizations.

Arts and Entertainment

The Tibor Brothers, of Hebron, started playing for local events when the family still lived south of Almont. First known as the "Rhythm Cowboys", they played on the radio and in local talent shows. In 1948, they were featured with Patsy Montana in a performance in Mandan. Variously known as the "Country Cousins", the "Mavericks" and now as the Tibor Brothers, they have always been generous with their time and talents all over southwestern North Dakota. Their hit, It's So Easy Loving You, made the Billboard Top 100 in 1976 and was the springboard for the development of their own studio and record label. Last July, 60 years in the music business was celebrated in a big way in Hebron, with 3 stages and 13 hours of music featuring most of the musical offspring of the Tibor Brothers.

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Rodeo Producer

Sam Rhoades, of Killdeer, was born in Tennessee and relocated to Texas with his parents in 1874. His father worked for the Miles outfit and, when Sam was big enough, he earned his room and board by working for Miles, as well. He took up bronc busting because it paid better than being a regular cowpoke. Rhoades found his way to North Dakota when he rode up the trail from Texas with the AHA outfit in 1892. It was an arduous four-month trip, during which the herd was quarantined for Spanish Fever. After he married Huldah Mott, they moved to the T5 Ranch north of Grassy Butte. They later moved to Killdeer and also had a place at Oakdale. Rhoades ran a livery business that kept him busy in the Killdeer area until 1928 when cars replaced horses and buggies. Rhoades organized the Dunn County Fair and Rodeo in 1922 and produced the first Killdeer Mountain Round-up Rodeo. He staged other rodeos in Grassy Butte, Sanish, Lost Bridge and Beulah. Rhoades sold out to the Killdeer Mountain Rodeo Association in 1945, but continued on as manager. He continued to help his son-in-law in the sales yard until he was 85 years old and died of pneumonia in 1963.

Induction activities for the seven begin in Medora on Friday, August 3 with a barbecue at the Hall of Fame Patio (reservations required). Ceremonies for the seven continue with induction ceremonies at the Tjaden Terrace in Medora on August 4 at 1:00 p.m. (MDT). On Sunday, August 5, Inductees and their families will be introduced at the Champions Ride Rodeo at the Home on the Range at Sentinel Butte.

The Center of Western Heritage and Cultures is open daily from May through September and by appointment during the winter months. The facility is also used for meetings, reunions, weddings and other events. An attached patio provides room for more than 250 people for catered events. Catered food and beverage service is available.

Fundraising for the project continues. Contributions for the project may be sent to The North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame, 1110 College Drive #216, Bismarck, North Dakota 58501.

Release and photos of inductees available electronically at www.northdakotacowboy.com.